Edward w



E. W. NEWELL.

PROIECTILE UME FUSE.

APPLICATIUN mia wwf 23.1911.

Putfntud J uly 15, 1919.

- projectile stri EDWARD W. NEWELL, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOB T0 THB WESTINGHOUSE AIB BRAKE COMPANY,

CORPORATION '0F PENNSYLVANIA.

or winnnscoiim, riiNNsYLvANIA, 4|',

PROJECTILE TIME-FUSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

Application llled Jul 23, 1917. Serial No. 176,804.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD W` Niiwnmz.` a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in ProjectileTime- Fuses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rojectiles, 'and more particularly to a timeuse mechanism.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a time fuse mechanismadapted to be controlled by means of a generated gas.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following more detaileddescription of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 is a central sectional view of atime fuse mechanism embodying my invention, and showing the parts innormal position; Fig. 2 a similar view, showing the parts in positionsassumed upon firing the projectile from the gun; Fig. 3 a similar view,showing the positions of the parts after the fuse mechanism has operatedto explode the projectile; Fig. 4 a sectional view of a portion of thefuse mechanism, showing the positions of the arts as assumed in case theiies an object before the time fuse operates; Fig. 5 a transversesection o'n the line c-a of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 a rear face view of a portionof the adjustable vent ring; and Fig. 7 an elevational view, partly insection, of the nose portion of the 'fuse in anism. V

As shown in the drawing, the construction may comprise a member 1adapted to be screwed into the main casing of the projectile and having'screw threaded engagement with said member is a fuse casing 2.

A sleeve 3 is screwed intothe rear end of member 1 and alongitudinallymovable primer holder 4 containing a primer 5 normally engages anannular shoulder' of the eeve.

Slidiably mounted in a sleeve extension 6 of the member 1 is a firingplunger 7 adapted upon movement to engage the primer 5.

Normally engaging a forward annular shoulder of'sleeve 6 is a springclip 9 and interposed between said clip and the firing plunger 7 is acoil spring 10.

. A piston 11 subject on one side tothe pressure in a r 12, is mountedin the fuse casing 2 and a spring 13 acts on the opposite side of thepiston.

On the extension 6 is slidably mounted a sleeve 14, engaged `at theforward end by spring 13 and having a rear conical face 15 adapted to beengaged by conical heads of radially movable pins 16 mounted in theextension 6, said pins having inwardly extending conical points, adaptedto enga e within a V shaped annular groove 17 of tc firing plunger 7Screwed into the spring clip 9 is a rod 18 having the rear portion splitto form fiared prongs 19 having the rear ends inclined 'to engage corresending inclined surfaces on the primer ho der 4.

Screwed onto a forward threaded extension 2O of the casing 2 is a nosemember 21 having a. central rearwardly extending sleeve 22 into which isscrewed an auxiliary primer holder 23 containing a. primer 2l andmounted in a central bore of tlie sleeve 22 in an auxiliary firingplunger 25.

An annular chamber 26 surrounds the sleeve 22 and isadapted to Acontaina cartridge 27 formed of a substance which will generate gas whenignited.

The piston 11 is provided with a forwardly extending stem 28 which isnormally secured to the nose member 21 by a small screw 29, so as toprevent movement of the iston by accidental projectile, the stem 28being also adapted to prevent rearward movement of the auxiliary firingplunger 25.

Engaging a vertical face of the casing 2 is a rotatable ring 30 having aseries of orifices 31 of varying sizes which open at one side t0passages 32 of uniform size and at the opposite side to a groove 33formed in a clamping ring 34 which is adapted to be screwed onto thesleeve 2() for clamping the ring 30 in its adjusted position. At onepoint in the. circumference of the ring 30 t ere is provided anatmospheric vent port 35, adapted to constantly register with the groove33.

A- passage 36 adapted to register with the passage 32 opens into chamber12 and jarring of the in order to hold the ring 30 in its adjusted iosea between tnerm `3() and the casing 2; i in rdetb 'facilitated emaking ofI a, tight' v joint therebetween.

In operation, the parts are normally 6 the positions shown in Fig. 1 ofthe "diiiiw-- ingLwith the spring clip 9 held against by the prongs `19of stem 18.

'The piston 1l is `maintained iny itsmfoi'- ward position by the screw29 andstem28 prevents the rearward movement of firing pluri er 25.

theiclampingring. 34, is backed o and Athe ring 30 is inovedforwardsolas to clear Vthe in 37 and then the ring 30 is rotated to bring oneof the orifices 31 into registry through passage'32 with passage 36, the-orifices 31 being of a calculated area suchvthat `the fluid withinchamber 12 will escape ,in a redetermined period of time, as indicated ygraduations (not shown) on the periphery of ring 30. l

The ring is then moved back, so that :the pin37 engages in aregisteringpiissage 5 332;of the ring-and the clamping ring 34 isscrewed home. A

,. .Upon firing the projectile from the gun,

:Z0-the piston, 11. iS thrown rearwardly by 4iiiertia, strippingthethreads of the screw 29 and compressinggthe spring 13 :igainstthefg-ing .14, k1n itsrearward movement, the pisp `.ton 11engagesf thespring clip 9 and moves Y35 ASinne rearwardly, compressing the spring10-against the firing plunger 7, and finally, the

1 benl ends 0f Lheclp pass a shoulder 390i i Y thesleeve extension andfly outward, so, as to" preventanyl forward movement ofdthef ;clip andthuslioldthe spring 10 under cpm-jA iii P95319 Asis." i'vzi." ,-'i 1; y,-p `The.iieainivaridj movement .of stein 18`W 1th' ,clin creuses th.phones 1,9 `te collapses@ to permit their passage through the openingliilithe primer holder -ha Ythe position shown?, inln- 2 Qtiiheidrawine;i 1. n, y v,-x-.,'lp'heprgssureexerted y the heavylspriiig*.lraginstitha pins 16 is ,sufficient topreventg, s the outward radialmovement of the pins by y the,pre,ssiire ots ,ring v10 which also fiets,

l i 5,52rearwgudly,=` so that the firing ,A en ,the pins throng-theiiring plunger 7. 1

.The iiiertiaof the auxiliary flfmgrllm? lf, .ofsanie, .thestem 28havingbeennioved' plunger| en.-` ages the auxiliary primer 24 w ich isigtihen,Y detonatedi and acts toy ignite thev cartridge., Y 27h Thi'sceiisestegeneriitionof gasfngliicli' e ,lille thec1nani-bcn' @2, at ,aPredeteliwiesl ,eresaii're the @mencion alidelze ,etiketi-iftlzdge'biiia @a ciilated, S0 as to piedini the i necessary volume ofgas.

This gas pressure acts in chaniib'or 1"4 to",

hold the PistonA 11 at its rearwardpositionW against the counterresistance of spring 13,

A Q ml'raus't passage 3 Shoulder 8 by' spring 1()I and the `pi`iriie'ifyholder 4 prevented froinrforward Inaveri-nentpi A Lemmi .mandarin-genieiiigliceof the projectile, the

als 'm Lchamhen 12 escapesit-hrough the orice* 31" which is inycommunication through ypassa e with passage 36, the gas flowing then"through groove 33 to atmospheric exi #When the pressure in chamber 12has been `reducedqto a redetermned degree, the pis- "ton 11 motiesorward-and relieves the spring pressure exerted by sprin 13,011 ring 144and,finally the pressureo' spring 10 pre- 1)poirdcrates sufficientlytoforce Vthe pins 16 V ,radially outward andthus permitthe firingiprojectile, A,

,phil l'to move rearwardl "and en a e Ptl'iieIiigiji'r'ner 5 as shown'ing of the digai'- ing, th'u's `detonating' the projectile.

f for any reason, the timing mechanism above described Should fail toact during the of the projectile, then upon the vpro- ]ectile strikingan object or grazing an object in flight, the inertia of the primerholder 4 causesv its relative forward movement, forcing the split springring 40 outwardly so that the same will engage the firing plungeri', asshown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, rlid thus cause theexplosion of theprojec- @Having now described my inventiomwhat claim` `as` newVand-desire to secure by Let- "ters Patent, is

1. 'In #projectile the combination with a chamber 'having a ventport anda time fuse fgas 'from Said substance to t erehyV create @.lidIPIG'SSUIB in said chamber. 1121111 a projectile, the combination with n""cliamben'ha'ving a vent port open to the atinosplieie` and a timefuse' mechanism oper- A"ated upon 'a reduction vin' pressure insaidchamber, of means in the projectile for generiitin "and initiallycharging said chamber uid under pressure.

"f .;1n`*a. time fuse mechanism, the combiiiiiation with a firin plungerand xii/chafrrber "liaiiingfan atmospheric exhaust port, of a1J`pilitmdevice controlled by the pressure in jsaidchamber-'forcontrolling the operation ,ofthe iiifingplunger and means forgeneratiinfg ,gas'ttil produce an initial ,fluid pressurelilartlbe'lr'.2 V i,

' Si. ina' projectile, the combination with anchainben aring plunger,and a piston subject the'pres'sure in said chamber and ifobrateji'fjupona predetermined reduction in res'sir'elin'said chamberfor'eiecting the "operation 'fof said firing plunger, ofa sub- 'uponignition yo f 5 daar. ii aidicliain frhand means operated upon `firingthe rojectile from the g'un for"` `ignitihgsaid su stance.

a chamber having an atmospheric exhaust 5; In' a proJectile, thecombination with` orin a gas port, a firing plunger, and a pistonsubject to the pressure in said chamber for controlling said plunger, ofa gas forming charge and an auxiliary firing plunger operated uponfiring the projectile from the gun for effecting the ignition of saidcharge to form gas under pressure in said chamber.

6. In a projectile, the combination with a chamber having an atmosphericexhaust port, a main firing plunger, and a piston subject to thepressure in sald chamber for controlling said plunger, of a gas formingcharge, a primer, and an auxiliary firing plunger operated by inertiaupon firing the projectile from the gun for detonatin said primer toeffect the ignition of said c arge and the generation of gas in thechamber.

7 In a projectile, the combination with a main firing plunger, achamber, and a piston subject to the ressure in said chamber forcontrolling said) plunger, of a cartridge composed of a gas formingsubstance and communicating with said chamber, a primer adapted upondetonation for igniting said cartridge, and an Aauxiliary firing plungeroperated by inertia upon firing the projectile from the gun fordetonating said primer.

8. In a projectile, the combination with a main firing plunger, achamber, and a piston subject to the pressure in said chamber forcontrolling said plunger, of means operated upon firing the projectilefrom the gun for generating gas in said chamber and means for ventinggas from said chamber at a predetermined rate.

9. In a projectile, the combination with a main firing plunger, achamber, and a pis ton subject to the pressure in said chamber forcontrolling said plunger, of a substance adapted upon ignition togenerate gas in said chamber, an auxiliary firing plunger for effectingthe ignition of said substance, and means carried by said piston fornormally preventing the movement of said auxiliary liring plunger.

10. In a projectile, the combination with a main firing plunger, achamber, and a iston subject to the pressure in said cham er forcontrolling said plunger, of a substance adapted upon ignition togenerate gas in said chamber, an auxiliary tiring plunger for efectingthe ignition of said substance, means for normally preventing movementof said iston, and means carried by said piston or normally preventingmovement of said auxiliary irin plunger.

11. In a projectie, the combination with a main firing plunger, achamber, and a piston'subject to the pressure in said chamber forcontrolling said plunger, of a substance adapted upon ignition togenerate gas in said chamber, an auxiliary firing lunger for effectingthe ignition of said substance, a stem carried by said piston fornormally preventing movement of said auxiliary plunger, and a screw, fornormally preventing movement of the piston and adapted to be strippedfrom its screw threaded engagement with the piston by movement of thepiston throu h inertia upon firing the projectile from e gun.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD W. NEWELL.

